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Facing How You Feel About a Hepatitis C Diagnosis

A hepatitis C diagnosis might come as a shock, followed by waves of anger, sadness, shame, or fear. Get help managing your emotions.

Knowing you’re one of an estimated 3.2 million people with hepatitis C probably doesn't make the news any easier to accept. A diagnosis of hepatitis C can bring a flood of emotions, from fear to shame and even depression. Caring for your emotional as well as physical health means actively seeking support from your doctor, loved ones, and possibly a mental health professional.

“The first thing that most people diagnosed with hepatitis C express is surprise because they’re being told they have this chronic disease that could be serious and they never knew they had it," says Andrew Aronsohn, MD, a gastroenterologist, hepatologist, and assistant professor of medicine at University of Chicago Medicine. "Then there’s worry because they might have passed the disease on to other people, so they have questions about transmission,” Dr. Aronsohn says. “There’s also fear because of this unknown: 'What does this really mean? Am I going to die from it? Do I need a transplant?'"

There's also an increased risk for depression with a diagnosis of hepatitis C. One in three people with chronic liver disease have depression symptoms, according to a research review published in the October 2014 issue of the journal Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics.

Get the Facts About Hepatitis C

Learning about hepatitis C transmission and treatment can help you manage the diagnosis emotionally. People with hepatitis C may be reluctant to let those close to them know about their diagnosis until they have facts to share — facts that can reassure themselves and others, Aronsohn says.

Simply starting treatment for hepatitis C could improve your outlook, too. It turns out that people who are just monitored rather than started on hepatitis C treatment are at increased risk for depression, according to a report in the October 2014 issue of the Journal of Viral Hepatology. Talk to your doctor to better understand hepatitis C and your treatment options.

Reach Out for Hepatitis C Support

“Families have the capacity to support the emotional needs of their sick loved ones and often bring emotional concerns to the attention of his or her doctor,” says Chip Bailey, PhD, RN, associate professor and senior fellow with the Duke Center for Aging in Durham, North Carolina, and co-author of the Journal of Viral Hepatology study.

But for some people diagnosed with hepatitis C, sharing the news with family can be intimidating. Generally, the best approach is to be factual about your diagnosis and the disease. “Families need to hear that this is what happened and there’s nothing you can do about the diagnosis," says Suzanne Garber, LCSW, a therapist with Oyster Point Counseling Center in Newport News, Virginia. "The important thing is to say what can be done from this point forward.” Share the facts about hepatitis C with your loved ones, let them know your plans for treatment, and ask for specific types of help. Garber recommends seeking other sources of support, such as a hepatitis support group or church group.

Coping With the Emotions of a Hepatitis C Diagnosis

These coping strategies can make it easier to manage your feelings about having hepatitis C and help boost your emotional health:

Allow yourself to feel. “The more people fight sadness, the longer and harder that feeling of sadness and depression will chase after them,” Garber says. She recommends finding a trusted person to talk to or writing down your thoughts and feelings if you aren't ready to talk about them.

Counseling. A mental health professional can help you navigate your emotions and think through the next steps.

Medication. For some people, an antidepressant medication can help, but doses may need to be adjusted based on the health of your liver, according to the Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics journal review.

Fight the stigma. Hepatitis C can be transmitted through injection drug use, which Aronsohn says contributes to the stigma surrounding it. Let people know that there are other ways of contracting hepatitis C. Many people were infected decades ago from blood transfusions, when the blood supply wasn’t as safe as it is today.

Take care of your overall health. When you’re trying to manage powerful emotions and go through treatment, make it a point to eat healthy, exercise daily, and get good sleep, Garber says. In addition, avoid alcohol and drug use, which may contribute to depression as well as interfere with hepatitis C management.

For many people, the negative emotions triggered by a hepatitis C diagnosis will subside with treatment. But if your symptoms linger or you start to have thoughts of suicide, let your doctor or mental health professional know right away so you can get help.